Does Aspirin Hurt or Help Sinus Symptoms?

The history of aspirin is long and storied, and includes countless trends of various medical specialties claiming acetylsalicylic acid as a cure-all. Although today aspirin is generally thought of as a benign boost for cardiac health and a mild pain reliever, it can have some less welcome effects on other systems.

Consider the sinuses. Aspirin is one of the NSAIDs, which stands for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Some people who have sensitivity to this class of drugs find that aspirin can exacerbate the congestion of sinusitis, leading to further symptoms and worsening of respiration.

For these patients, other medical interventions may be indicated. Eventually it could be time to consider minimally invasive procedures such as balloon sinuplasty, which open conduits for draining within the sinuses.